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Community Update Week of May 13th
Sharing information for the Wootton High School community.
Calendar Reminders
MON, MAY 13 Phase II Construction Community Meeting (cafeteria)
TUE, MAY 14 Primary Election Day – school and offices closed
WED, MAY 15 Awards Night (invitation only)
FRI, MAY 24 Last Day for Seniors
FRI, MAY 24 Senior Prom
Crown High School Boundary Study
Principals in our cluster are sharing information with their respective communities about an upcoming boundary study for the future Crown High School. Please be sure to read more about the proposed timeline. To address spacing needs in the mid-county region, planning and construction has been approved for the new Crown High School which is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2027. The new high school is expected to reduce populations at Gaithersburg, Northwest, Quince Orchard, Richard Montgomery, and Thomas S. Wootton High Schools. The process will begin with a boundary study. Please see the proposed timeline of the process which was approved in the March 19th, 2024 MCPS Board of Education (BoE) meeting. The Board of Education resolution states “no elementary schools be included in the boundary study."
Acappella Invitational Showcase
The Wootton Acatonics, Wootton's Acappella Group, is hosting an acappella invitational to showcase their competition-winning set and many of the other acappella groups at other high schools in our county. The event is called MoCo Vocals and will be held next Monday, May 13th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in the Wootton Auditorium. In addition to hearing songs from our very own Acatonics, there will performances from groups at Churchill, Walter Johnson, Richard Montgomery and Whitman. Take a break from AP exam studying and come out and support! There is no school the next day! Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. See you there!
Congratulations!
Twenty-two MCPS students from eight high schools have been awarded National Merit $2,500 scholarships financed by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Congratulation to Anthea Chu for being given this honor in engineering.
The Hispanic Alliance for Education (HAE) held its annual Distinguished Hispanic Scholars Award Ceremony at CESC on Thursday, May 9th beginning at 6:30pm. The organization consists of Hispanic employees of Montgomery County Public Schools and numerous Montgomery County citizens who are invested in supporting MCPS high school students of Hispanic descent support in their quest to obtain a college degree. Congratulations to Wootton's Malia Schmelzer who received this year's award.
Congratulations to Wootton's Tennis champions!
- Boys 2 Doubles – Mihir Kotraiah / Will Ballen, Thomas S. Wootton
- Girls 2 Singles – Veroncia Chunikhim, Thomas S. Wootton
- Girls 3 Singles – Katherine Yao, Thomas S. Wootton
Dual Enrollment – Jumpstart to College Program
Registration for Montgomery College summer and fall semester classes is now open. If students are interested in taking a class at Montgomery College, please see Ms. Sook-Yi Yong in the counseling department. Students can take classes in the fall at zero cost.
Yearbook Distribution
The 2024 Yearbook- “Bright Futures”- is here! The Yearbook staff is excited to share our hard work with you. If you pre-ordered a book through our yearbook company, LifeTouch, then you will be able to pick it up during lunch at the school store in the Commons beginning next week. Distribution will begin on Monday, May 13th for seniors only. Underclassmen can begin picking up pre-orders on Tuesday, May 14th. Distribution will continue during lunches for all grades until Friday, May 17th. Books that are not picked up during lunches can be picked up from Mr. Hardy in room 253 beginning Tuesday, May 20th.
Be prepared to show a photo ID (license/ permit/ student ID/ Synergy portrait). You must pick up your own book, and cannot pick up a book for another person. A limited quantity of books will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis starting today, May 8th. These sales will be open for seniors only on May 8th and 9th. Sales will open for all students beginning on May 10th. They will be $85 and will be sold through the School Cash Online (SCO)Links to an external site. system. Log in to SCO and purchase the book added to your account. Books can also be purchased for cash from Mr. Hardy in room 253, but using the SCO system is preferred. Books purchased through School Cash Online can be picked up in Ms. Walsh’s office starting on Monday, May 13th.
A limited quantity of last year’s 2022-23 book ‘Press Play’ are also available for purchase. These can be purchased for 20 dollars on SCO. You can purchase your book on SCO and then pick it up from Ms. Walsh in the finance office. Please email Mr. Hardy (zachary_j_hardy@mcpsmd.org) if you have any questions.
MCPS Invites the Wootton Community to Attend a Work Session for ADA Improvements
UPDATE: The Site Improvements Meeting will now take place in the Cafeteria
FAFSA - Class of 2024
Senior Students and Parents/Caregivers – time is running out on applying for the FAFSA, we are aware that there are many delays and frustrations with FAFSA this year but there is still money to be had and we don’t want it to go unused! Folks who don’t think they will qualify don’t understand that they may be awarded scholarships based on their FAFSA even if they don’t qualify for federal or state aid. If you don’t fill it out, schools may assume you can pay full price. If you are attending a school in the state of Maryland you must apply for FAFSA and for Maryland aid at MDCAPS by May 15th.
Here are some resources to help with the FAFSA. Your college and career advisor is also available to help. Thank you.
The following videos -- in English and Spanish -- walk students and contributors through the process.
· Better FAFSA Corrections and Completion Guidance: Students
· Better FAFSA Corrections and Completion Guidance: Parents / Orientación para hacer correcciones y completar la Better FAFSA: Padres
· Better FAFSA Corrections and Completion Guidance: Adding Schools
· How to make corrections and add colleges and universities to your FAFSA / Cómo hacer correcciones y añadir universidades a su FAFSA
· How to make corrections and add signature and contributor information to your FAFSA / Cómo hacer correcciones al nuevo formularlo FAFSA -- añadir la firma e información del contribuyente
Senior Planning - Class of 2025!
Attention class of 2025! If you would like to apply to be a member of Senior Planning for next school year, the committee that plans and organizes all of your senior class activities, complete this application no later than Wednesday, May, 22, 2024. You will also need to have 2 teacher recommendations (the form is linked in the application) submitted by the May 22 deadline as well. Please reach out to Mrs. McCarthy if you have any questions!
Registration for Regional and Central Summer School Session 1 ends May 31
Summer School 2024 focuses primarily on our high school students who need to earn credits towards graduation. Both Regional (in-person) and Central (virtual) High School Summer School Programs will be offered this year. More information available here or contact your counselor.
Information from the College and Career Center
College Visits
Montgomery College
Juan Serrano
College & Career Center
5/21/24 at 8:30 AM
MCPS Information
Mental Health Awareness Month
Our Minds Matter (OMM) created a Mental Health Wellness Calendar for May that includes multiple action steps to bring awareness and improve mental health. This provides information on the OMM Music Mental Health Action Day, which encourages movement through music on May 16, 2024. The Stronger Student Mental Health and Wellness app is another resource students can add to their cell phones. The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) is sponsoring a free walk to destigmatize mental health in our communities. NAMIWalks, will take place at Rio Lakefront, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878, on May 18, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Information available here
2024 Graduation Schedule
High school commencement ceremonies will be held between Wednesday, May 29, and Wednesday, June 12. Graduation ceremonies will take place on individual high school campuses, at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., and on the campuses of Mount St. Mary’s University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Click here for graduation dates, locations and times for every high school.
Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 18
Families should mark their calendars for the Gaithersburg Book Festival, a free celebration of books, writers and literary excellence on Saturday, May 18, at Bohrer Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than 100 authors and illustrators will appear, with activities for children of all ages. Learn more
Girls With Impact Teaching Leadership and Business Skills
Girls With Impact has partnered with MCPS and is offering its innovative entrepreneurship program to students. This program, designed specifically for young women ages 14-24, focuses on building critical business and leadership skills through a hands-on curriculum.
Parents can learn more here.
Attendance Is Important!
Regular daily attendance is expected. It is critical to a child's academic success. Parent/caregiver support of regular daily attendance is essential. Parents/caregivers should provide a note within 3 days stating the reason for absence. This will ensure the absence is marked excused. Students who were absent from school have the responsibility to request make-up work from their teacher.